Bozeman Hosts First Ever ADA Celebration, Announces New Accessible Parking Map

For North Face adaptive athlete Vasu Sojitra, accessibility impacts his routines across Bozeman. 

"Day in and day out, I'm always thinking about how to make my life more accessible. So, you know from carrying backpacks when I go grocery shopping to how I ride my bike around town, where I park, all those little things kind of add up to help my life be a little bit more well lived," said Sojitra.  

Part of the event included the unveiling of Bozeman's new accessible parking map, which Sojitra welcomed.  

"I've been here for over a decade and it's always a little tricky to find spots and I mean, downtown gets a little crowded here and there, and so it'll be nice to kind of feel a little, feel more alleviated from some of those pain points," said Sojitra.  

The city created the map in partnership with Ability Montana, and Montana State University. 

The goal behind the new map is to provide more accessible options for those with disabilities to navigate Bozeman. 

Ricky Burns II, an independent living specialist with Ability Montana, said the project showed how small ideas can lead to progress.  

"Meaningful change doesn't always begin with a large budget, or a grand plan; sometimes, it begins with an idea," said Burns II.  

Bozeman's first ADA celebration also included a 5K run, vendors, and raffle tickets for prizes.  

More information about the parking map and the ADA celebration can be found at bozemanmt.gov and abilitymt.org.